Can packing machine



Aug 8, 1950 A. L. CHRIS-'HANSEN 2,518,223

CAN PACKING MACHINE Filed nec. 4, 1945 5 SheelLs-SheefI 1 \\,z/ 1 9/ zo! Z4; /26

Cf u 405. 'sf I j fl i?! v al 1 92 /fc l l .se 6 37 /32 I /18 32 J INVENTOR. p 20/ A L. CHR//A/x/EN A TTORNEY Aug. 8, 1950 A. 1 cHRlslANsEN CAN PACKING MACHINE Filed Deo. 4, 1945 INVENTOR. A A. CHE//A/VSE ATTORNEY Al1g- 8, 1950 A. L. cHvlsTlANsl-:N 2,518,223

CAN PACKING MACHINE Filed Deo. 4, 1945 '3 Sheets-Sheet 5 A TTORNEY Patented Aug. 8, 1950 s rar-ENT( ritmici;

ICAN PACKING MAen1NE-= Andrew- L; Christiansen, Willowbrook; 'Califa Application December 4, 1'9'745'5`1'Seria1'N0.632,717

This"y vinvention relates toa fcan packing ma chine and particularly -to improvements'over my former "U.S. Patent No. 2,274,606, issued February'- 24,5 1942.

' One of the' principal objects of such improvements --is the provision of--a machine for packing equal amounts or weights -of fish flakes or other products of variousconsistencies orspecic gravity, 'that'is, primarily productscontaining differenti amountsv of -moisture, oil, orv other liquid contents.

Another important object of Athis invention is to provide a packingl machine of this class which m'ay-be-feasily adjusted` for packing productsA of such varying 'moisture,oil', orv other liquid con#- tent'.

An important object also of this invention is to provide a novel and-efli'cientmeans and method f of filling `cans and packing the product thereinto.

Atfurther importantfob'ject of this invention' isto provide eflicient means of feeding fish flakes',

or other similar products, intocans from acontinuousV supply of suchL product. 1

A still further important object'offfthis "invene tion isY to 'provide efficient means for pressing theh product4 into cans so that` the product will remain packed, to provide a space for or to facilitate theYI addition 'of Yoil, liquid seasoning, orl the like, a specific feature of Vthe invention'being the gradual compressing of the product Within 'the can and holding the product for a predetermined period in suchjpressed condition: An object of vth-is'invention is'the provision of `a novel means of carrying'outth'e aforementioned v functions An important obje'ct" also. islithe/fprovisicn of' 1 novel and eiicient "means: of conveying. open'top' canscthrough va"l"l11ling andcproduct compressing 1 stage.

With these and other objectsinview, as iwill.V

Fig. 1 `is a fragmentary sectional-vieW-f-in 'plan' J of my can packingmachin'e-infa-preferredform, with the section taken' throughI--I of Fign;

Fig-'2 is another'fragmentaryfsectional viewfin plan,`taken through -2-1-2 of Fig 51"-shvvifng the principal canJ packing-"f-portionl-offmy'fmachine Fig.-vv 4"is 'a fragmentary sectional'` view thereof? in plain, taken through v'Iii-Afef li'ig. 3;`

Fig'. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view thereof, taken 'atV 5--5\`'of @Figgl 'and Fiigf is a fragmentary elevational view there'-v offtakn at fil-6 of Fig: 1.

The machine, shown in the drawingsiis par: ticularly *designed lfor pack-ing tuna fish flakes into'ftin cans'. The-flakes arepacked into-Jr the cans; designated A, While' being carried on'aconf vey'or-fmeansfB. Empty vcans are fed-'continuously to-.the conveyor meansB from the conveyor" C', andare discharged from the former to a conveyor D. All'of 'fthe fformer are carried Iona- The conveyor'means B'consists of "a rotatingA star wheel 2rotatable"on"avertical axis; onfthe" described hereafter. The disc 5 has'hole's 512m line' withthe-peripheral' spacedopening's Zwin the star Wheel.

Bththestar wheel? and the discv 5 are mountisiconnected-by bevel gears 1 and 8`to a horizontal 1; shaft"9j This shaftv 9'-"h`as. a ratchet I0 'vvhjn'ih'l intermittently rotates the shaft 9', and,'therefore,- the "shaft'lfi' and thefconveyor means-B; The ratchet lis intermittently rrotated by a pawl I I vvhich'- is oscillated Aby-"alir'ik I2"fconnected toaV crankl or eccentric disc I3`fon ay shaft I3 'rotatedr in any suitable'- manner byk a "motor 'I 4.-'

The `conveyor C comprisesfa chain I 6 positioned` at onef'side of 'the frame I. 'It' extends around-` sprockets Il and I8 mounted respectively on shafts I9 and'20 vpositioned respectively near the middleportion and outer endbf the frame I. The shaft I9is connected by gears2I and 22 to' af shaft 23 connectedby al chaink drive 24 to a `drive shaft; 25,"connected in any suitable manner to the i motor; y y y The upper run of the chain I 6 rides inaftroughf of theframe. and'has guide'railsZG for guiding the cans thereon toward the conveyor means B1" The discharge conveyor D comprises fa chain 3| positioned at the opposite side of the frame I." This chainf extends" around fsprockets 32 and 33..

The latter is mounted onl'alshaft 35 which is connected, by a chain drive'36, to thefdr-ive' shaft 25. d

' ppper-runof .that-chain 3l. Y'of'.lthe-'conveyor D also rides in a trough at the upper portion of the frame, this trough having guide rails 31 at its opposite sides.

- The cans are transferred from the feed conveyor C by a turntable 4| to the conveyor means B. The cans on leaving the conveyor means B are transferred by another turntable 42 to the discharge conveyor D. Portions of each of the turntables 4| and 42 are positioned respectively over the chains l5 and 3| of the feed and discharge conveyors, and other portions thereof extend into the conveyor means B, as shown best in Fig. l. The upper surfaces of both turntables 4| and 42 are located coplanar with the rails of the track 3, the ends of the rails terminating at the edge of the turnables. The outer of the guide rails 26 merges in a gradual curve with the guide rail 4 of the conveyor means B, and likewise the latter guide rail merges with the outer of the guide rails 31 of the discharge conveyor D. The inner member of the rails 26 and 31 extend into the conveyor means B to facilitate the direction of the cans into and from said conveyor means, substantially as shown in Fig. l.

The turntables 4| and 42 are rotated in the directions of the arrows shown-thereon, `by means of sets of miter gears 43 and 44 which connect the shafts of such turntables directly to the drive shaft 25.

Further to faciliate the transfer of cans from the chain l5 of the conveyor C to the turntable 4|, and to reduce vibration4 to a minimum, I have provided a plate 45 located to ride on the cans on both of these elements. This plate is hinged at 41 on the frame and is held in a downward position by spring means 48.

On the frame and above the conveyor means B are located a plurality of units E, F, and G, which are arranged axially above three consecutive openings 5a in the cutter or leveling disc 5 when the latter is at rest, for operating simultaneously on three cans carried by the conveyor means B and positioned respectively below the corresponding openings 5a. These units E, F, and G are referred to respectively as feeding, partial compressing, and compressing units.

The feeding unit E has a vertical cylinder 5| which extends upwardly from one of the openings 5a, when the conveyor means B is in one of its intermittent or rest positions. The cylinder 5| is substantially of the diameter of the open end of the cans A to be packed. The lower edge of the cylinder is positioned contiguous to the disc 5 with only suchclearance as to allow the disc 5 freely to be rotated. To -the upper portion of the cylinder 5 is connected a hopper 52 which is adapted to contain the product to be packed into the cans. In this hopper may be arranged any suitable means, such as a screw 53, for continuously feeding the product into the cylinder. A hopper and feeding means in connection therewith is disclosed in my former patent for Can Packing Machines, No. 2,272,606.

Ihe downward feeding of the product in the cylinder 5| is facilitated by a vertically reciprocatingplunger 54 which extends axially through the cylinder and into the upper portion of the can` A. Thelower portion of the plunger 54 is provided with transverse fingers 55 which agitate the product in the cylinder 5| so that the same may flow freely and readily ll the can.

The plunger 54 is carried by a vertically reciprocating cross-head 5B `mounted on vertical guides 51.

As shown'in the drawings, the cross-head lis reciprocated by links 58 which are connected at their lower ends to crank portions 5!!a of eccentric disc-s 59. These eccentric discs are mounted on a shaft 60 which is also operatably connected to the motor I4.

In the following position of the can, moved by the intermittent conveyor means B, as indicated by A', the product is partially packed into the can by a plunger 66 which is of considerably smaller diameter than that of the can and therefore only partially packs the product thereinto. This plunger is carried at the lower end of a rod 61 which is reciprocally mounted in a vertical direction on a horizontal support 16 carried by the frame I. This rod B1, and therefore the plunger 65, is normally urged in a raised or receded position by a spring 68. The upper end of the rod 61 is adapted to be engaged by a tappet 56a adjustably carried by the crosshead 56. Thus the plunger 6B is periodically forced downwardly in synchronism with the intermittent movement of the conveyor means B.

The plunger 66 is enclosed by a partially cylindrical enclosure 69 of a diameter substantially smaller than the diameter of the can A. The enclosure 69 is secured at and communicates with one side of the lower portion of the cylinder 5|, and the lower edge thereof is coplanar with the lower edge of the cylinder 5| so as to provide only sufficient clearance to permit the disc 5 to rotate. The wall between the lower portion of the cylinder 5| and the enclosure 69 consists of a gate 10 which is vertically adjustable so as to raise the lower edge of the gate above the lower edge of the feed cylinder 5| for allowing varying amount of product to be carried from the cylinder 5| into the enclosure 69 by the rotating disc 5. The vertical adjustment of the gate 15 may be provided by an upwardly extending stem 10a and nuts 15b and 10c which engage the upper and lower sides of a laterally extending lug 5|a of the cylinder 5|.

The vertical adjustment of the gate is provided to compensate for packing products of varying densities or consistencies by varying the amount of the product which may be packed into each can.

In order to force the product wholly within the can which is to be discharged from the conveyor means B without spilling the portion of the product extending above the top of the can, I have provided the compressing means G. This means operates upon a can A", in the following or next successive position of the can on the conveyor B. The compressing means G also has a plunger 1| mounted at the lower end of a rod 12. This rod is also reciprocally mounted in a vertical direction on the horizontal support 16, and islnormally urged in a raised or receded position by a spring 13. The upper end of the rod 12 is adapted to be engaged by another tappet 56h also adjustably carried by the crosshead '56. But in this instance, the plunger 1| is substantially of the diameter of the can opening vso that substantially all of the product on the level with the top of the disc 5 is forced downwardly through the corresponding opening 5a into and below the top of the can indicated by A.

Although the product is forced below the top of the can, certain products, such as fish flakes, and the like, are of such a nature that they do not remain compressed. The compressing means l G is provided in this instance yonly to permit the afsisfzas cansfAuonf-@the Yconveyor ,:mean'sY-.lf-Bf. itbe'si'diss charged to` thenextistag'e f v Asr' shownA inf tha-drawings; the@v movement; of

.thei disc'.l 5 .relativeiito-ithelilower? edge:-Sof1.the

cylinders l and .the-fenclosureiiiprovidesia cuts ting means for levelling oi the kproduiztr'to'.be packed .intoLthe cansfeven iwithithefitop fof .the disc.. The agate :.1nzlallowsiianr;.additionanamount is' the final' productscompressingzlmeans, which'` compresses theproduct'belowtheiupperfnpenend of the canso as to permit the'- addition\.= ofl.fsub= stances', such'assoily sauce;.and:1the likegptorthe. packed product. 'This finalicompressingfzmeans; designated isuarra'ngedlin:'connectionrwvithrand is` located above. `thefchain i314 of fftlierdischarge conveyor D.y f a The unit consi'stsfoi'a rpluralityoff compressing discs 81 which?? area onlyY slightly` smaller` than the diameter of` the openingzofthecanandftliey are'carriedrbyaLeontinuousf link belt These compressing discs 81.1are:''synchronized4 with i the cansA'` carriedfonilthai-.conveyor chain 3i. As shown, the link belt 82 extends over sprockets 553 and 8d which aref'mounted on shafts 85 and 35; respectively. On a plane below-these sprockets is a series of smaller sprockets :B'lfwhichfdenitely locate thecom-pressing...discs.. 8l, carried by the lower run oflink belt 82, so as to'compress the product to a `predetermined level within the` cans'. A. The chain loca-ting spro'ckfetSffBl arewcarried by a `bracket 88--which-isadiustably supported at the side of-the conveyoruch aSfon'the outer guidevrail -3l as indicate f 11i-and 1.2 of the drawings. compressing discs- 8l -in 'th-e belt 82 is compensated for by an idler sprocket 89 over which rides the upper run of the link belt 82.

The cans on the conveyor chain 3l are located in proper spaced relation, or synchronized with the packing discs 8l of the unit H, by another continuous link belt 9|. This belt extends around sprockets 92 and 93. It is provided with a plurality of can spacers or lugs 94 which extend considerable distances from the main portion of the belt. These spacers Sil are directed into the path of the cans on the discharge conveyor D in such a manner as to receive only one can between adjacent spacers. The cans are moved in the discharge conveyor D by the spacers themselves. In this manner, the spacers force successive cans, as they are discharged from the turntable 42, in line With the compressing discs 8i.'

As shown in the drawings, the shaft 86 is connected by a chain drive S- to the shaft' 2B which Inrorderv 'to rregulatelthe feed ofi cans f from? the' turntable 42;.totheadischarge conveyor;DfI.rha-ve provide'dca dog?! Ui which'. is piv'oted` von the frame iii, This` dogfwhichextends withits `freexend' into: the path of the cans fion they dischargeecon-v veyo-r, i isf connected by '.a: linkI YI 02to. .al f pvoted army Alll'3 which' is-normally heldifagainstfaizstop' tilt by :a spring.;` l 115. In.l this; position: :thetiarml'fis-heldfintherpath I'ofzthe movingcspacersfon lugs lieof..thet.can.spacing oonveyorf'gl'ci. This mechanismv forces-fthe" dogg.v ID I1 yperiodically i to' bewithdrawn@ and permits `one 1 can at naftirne' conveyor D, and as the cans are movedtthereby, they are` positively engagedl by'Y theY f spacersror lugs-94- and fed-therebyinto'sthe'nalfcompressing.'

Though I lh'aversl-io'wnand' describedna .'p'arle ticular construction.. combination,U and arrange@ ment offpartsfand. portions, Idofin'otwis-h-` to'b'e' limited to the'. same, .but z desire toi-includef-irtfthe s-copeoffmy invention, the construction; combi# nation, and:I arrangement;l substantially y as. set forth fin' 'the' appended# claimszf Iclaim: l

1. In a machine of the class described, an'openl-l can conveyor, mea-nsfforfeeding': aiproduct into thecanlon the conveyor, means fori'fpartiallyf compressing 'the product into ithefcan, means for;

cutting the-productfabove thef'can, and meansforr compressingythe product;VV after" beingzcut; ,intoand substantially ush with vthe toni off the'ca'n';

- the ffeedingf-and-r both compressing; means-Lopen@ ating` substantially `simultaneously` 'inH associa-*Ii tion with diierent cans on kthex 'conveyor'.'

.2.l In ia machine# =ofther class described;l a! cank conveyor adaptedffto convey canswin':spacedfrelae tion,` means yforrcausingvafstream of 'a producttobei fed' toward theI Ppath of i the cans,` v means for directing the product from thesfeeding'-means into a can 'whenvthe can" is `moved by the conveyorv into the y'stream of the product, meansffor partially compressing-the product i'nto'the can,vv other'means for compressing the product" into;y and-1.substantiallyilush with, the `top ol` the' can,

" thel three latter means being synchronized with the4 conveyor and operable simultaneously with` respect to successively arranged cans on` the conrveyor.

3. In a machine of the class described, a moving open-can conveyor, a chute extending above the conveyor for feeding a product into a can on the conveyor, the chute having a vertically adjustable side Wall for leveling off the product in the can at a predetermined height above the can as the can is advanced by the conveyor, and means for compressing the product into the can.

4. In a machine of the class described, a moving open-can conveyor, a chute extending above the conveyor for feeding a product into a can on the conveyor, the chute having a vertically adkjustable side wall for leveling off the product in the can at a predetermined height above the can as the can is advanced by the conveyor, means for compressing the product into the can, and an enclosure for the compressing means, the lower end lof the enclosure leveling off the product below the first mentioned level by further advance of the can by the conveyor.

5. In a machine of the class described, an opencan conveyor adapted to convey cans with open upper ends, a cutting means positioned above and movable with the conveyor and provided with sp'aced openings below which the cans on the conveyor are positioned, a chute extending above the cutting means for feeding a product through an opening of the cutting means into the open can in line therewith and carried by the conveyor, the chute having a vertically adjustable side Wall for leveling o the product in the can at a predetermined height above the cutting means as the can is advanced by the conveyor, means for compressing the product into the can, an enclosure for the compressing means, the lower end of the enclosure being positioned contiguous to the top of the cutting means for leveling oir the prodm uct immediately below the bottom edge of the enclosure by further advance of the can by the conveyor.

6. In a machine of the class described, means for supporting moving cans, and means for compressing and holding a product compressed a short period within and below the top of the cans, the compressing means comprising a plurality of pressing members synchronized with the movement of the cans, each of the compressing members being so constructed and arranged as to enter in sequence the moving cans and movable therewith in such depressed condition and again removing the compressing members from the cans.

7. In a machine ofthe class described, means for conveying cans, and means for compressing and holding the product compressed a short period within and below the'top of the can, said compressing means comprising a conveyor positioned above and synchronized with the moving cans on the conveying means, and compressing devices on the conveyor and movable thereby, each of the compressing devices on the lower run of the conveyor being so arranged as to enter one of the moving cans and movable by the conveyor with such can, said compressing devices being sequentially raised by the conveyor and thereby removed from such cans.

8. In a machine of the class described, 2, conveyor means for intermittently feeding open end cans successively in a predetermined path to a plurality of stations, means at the rst of said stations for introducing an excessive amount of a product into each can so as to over-iill the same, means at the next station for partially compressing the product into each can, means at the next stationfor lremoving a portion of the product projecting above each can, and means at the next station movable with each lled can for subsequently compressing the remaining product into and substantially Hush with the open top of each'can.

9. In a machine of the class described, a conveyor means for intermittently feeding open end cans successively in a predetermined vpath to a plurality of stations,` means at the rst of said stations for introducing an excessive amount of a product into each can so as to over-ll the same, means at the next station for partially compressing the product into each can, means at the next station for removing a portion of the product projecting above each can, and means at the next station movable with each filled can for subsequently compressing the remaining product into and substantially flush with the open top of each can and for maintaining the product in its compressed state for a predetermined period of time.

10. In a machine of the class described, a conveyor means for intermittently feeding open end cans successively in a predetermined path to a plurality of stations, means at the first of said stations for introducing an excessive amount of a product into each can so as to over-ll the same, means at the next station for partially compressing the product into each can, means at the next station for removing a portion of the product projecting above each can, and means at the next station movable with each lled can for subsequently compressing the remaining product into and below the open top of each can for a predetermined period of time.

ANDREW L. CHRISTIANSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this :patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,015,089 Rooney Sept. 24, 1935 2,127,393 Doney Aug. 16, 1938 2,274,606 Christiansen Feb. 24, 1942 2,358,001 Cross et al Sept. 12, 1944 2,367,387 Davies Jan. 16, 1945 2,387,585 Howard Oct. 23, 1945 

